Lately there's been a lot of pitching for potential clients. Since the deals are not closed (yet) we are usually left with designing mockups without real content (Lorem Ipsum and stock photos, etc, etc...) always proposing how things could look like. The problem with this is just that, designing without real content. And the end result will probably change when we get the real info because the copy is really short compare to what we had in mind or the images are not that many, or....you get the point.

its not just pitching. designing for web (the 1st round of visuals) are always done like that... You just generally get a feel for what a client will provide in the end and you design a site that is flexible.

It can be a nasty and necessary part of getting work in the door, but it really feels like getting it out the door. It does take a certain siege mentality to be able to put the emotional, artistic and physical effort into every tiny corner, every color, every line and alignment and rhythm, and know that it might all be changed. It really feels like it might all be for nothing, but in fact it might all be for everything. It feels more like carrying the client on your pack than holding their hand. It feels like you are creating a vision for the company in far greater depth than they've done. I'm not a fan of Lipsum. I would advise not doing it. If you can write even half-decent copy that clearly resonates with your client's business, then do that - it can be more powerful than the more finessed points of the design. Hit them with a great logo treatment, the right colors, and some concise, flattering headlines. Much more investment in exactly what that third item in the sidebar is for, or the precise wording of the maillist sign up is wasted. It has to capture the essence of the company for the prospect quickly, and people read, and they read quickly. Lipsum has a very neutralizing effect on a first-look design. It's great for designers ourselves, and to communicate between each other, and even when some way down the road with a current client, finalizing layouts for a project, but for the pitch, research some real words. Content is king - our role as designers is to give life to that content, and the client's message and brand and viewpoint, as clearly as possible.The size of this or that photo, or the number of items in the menu there, or the width of the article teaser below the fold etc etc probably will change, don't sweat it, what a client wants to see is that you can give voice to their vision. If the design works in that regard, they won't see it, they will just see themselves, and then it's in the bag.

You get around it by showing a variety of designs – a copy-heavy document, a photo-heavy booklet, a poster, etc – whatever might apply over the run of the campaign/product/identity. Do one and then do a second one under the assumption that they'll double or halve the copy, or ask for one of the seven photos only, you get the idea.

Content is king. However, clients rarely -if ever- have the content fitting for a King.

After I graduated I was of the mindset that I was simply the "designer" and that if you just gave me the content I could "design" it. After working professionally for half a decade i've finally realized that as a designer you're much more powerful and valuable to your clientele if you can not only design around what isn't there but help guide what you think should be there. If you were to simply wait around for content to come your way without being able to author content you would no longer be a designer you would be a decorator. You would probably also rarely finish a job.

After all, if you're a designer and you are designing towards a specific audience then you probably have a very good idea of the type of content they want to see/hear/read.

That's not to say it's your job to become a copywriter / filmmaker / photographer... but you should be able to direct their content through informed decision-making.

@ d_rek, my point exactly. A redesign often results in a rethinking of the messages, and the designer (if experienced) can help a lot here. I do this too, all the time, and it came only after experience. More often than not it's my copy that ends up in the finished product. If I don't do this, then it often goes to shit through a committee of non-writers (clients) getting their dirty hands all in it.

Do your research, and put a healthy amount of real copy in there, even if it's not perfect. If you want less copy, let them know why. They might just learn something.

this is a huge part of the process. i never use lorem ipsum as it says nothing about the work you're doing and usually falls flat when presented as a design round. you should be spending the time to find swipe that is appropriate and finding text that would suit your vision. write if you have to, anything is better than reading ipsum

Sometimes instead of lorem ipsum, consider actually writing a description of what is happening or what something should do in place.

"This paragraph describes how the new Nissan Z's performance outstrips the Scion. There will be x y and z features that illustrate the various engine controls. At this point, the user should know a b and c about this and that so we can assume one thing and therefore we don't need to go into this other thing."

The implicit question we need to ask, but often cannot for reasons of diplomacy is:

Why did you hire a designer/agency rather than buy a template for lunch money and cut-paste the content in the boxes?

Because a designer/agency will design something IN CONTEXT, which is aimed at a TARGET MARKET, basing the appeal on a CENTRAL INSIGHT into that target market's buying triggers/mindset/etc and the finished work will be directed to fulfilling BUSINESS OBJECTIVES, so your brand/product sells/improves market position,etc...

....rather than "just get the thing done"....

if you "just want to get the thing done" there are lots of templates you can paste stuff into....

the perils of middle management are often displayed here, as the people who have the authority to make decisions are often remote, whereas the people who need things done now are in your face and don't have the authority to make decisions...